Thursday, December 20, 2012

Goodbye cruel world - (I bet we are still here on Saturday)

I have been back in Winnipeg a week now and it’s been a busy
time. It’s getting quite close to Christmas, so as well as the normal weekly
activities there has also been a bit of preparation for the made few days that
will take place in the coming week or so.

Ill quickly update you on the last week or so:-

I arrived back in Winnipeg by plane via Chicago and as usual
was directed towards the dreaded red chairs of immigration at the airport. This
time I was interviewed by a different officer, but the ex British soldier who
interviewed me last time was on the phone in the same room and halfway through
the call he stopped to tell my interviewer that he had dealt with me previously
and I was let in without any real hassle.

That evening we went along to watch The Hobbit at the
cinema. Friday was a rest day and I enjoyed a restful day vegging out, doing my
laundry and watching TV. Saturday was a bit busier as we had a wander into town
during the afternoon to pick up some Christmas presents. I can’t go into too
much detail but after a look around a couple of speciality shops we had what we
wanted.We even had time to make an ice
slide on a patch of frozen water in one of the parks in town. It was fun until
I fell on my arse!

Christmassy looking front entrance

Tree lights outside

Having a slide

Having a fall!! haahaa

Saturday night was a double night out....First was a concert
by a bloke called Fred Penner. He is the Canadian version of Rolf Harris and
most of the audience had been fans since they were kids. He sang all the songs
that these big kids loved – The favourites being ‘Sandwiches’ and‘The Cat came back’ – a story of how one man
tried to get rid of his unwanted yellow cat...but guess what? The cat came
back!! Haahaa, you should do a YouTube search for Fred Penner and take a look
at his songs yourself. He was really good and made a great night out. The rest of the evening and into the early
hour s of Sunday was spent at Wayne and Leanne’s Christmas party. A lot of
booze was drunk and the Eggnog went down far too nicely!

Fred Penner and Sean Beans long lost Canadian cousin

Bells!

Sunday as you can imagine was a far mellower day - we hadn’t
got home till nearly 4am and so after a good lie in we didn’t do much except
take a walk in the snow in the afternoon. Unusually for Winnipeg there had been
a bit of fog overnight. (Because the cold air here is very dry, you don’t get
the moisture that turns into fog and don’t get frost, even if it well below
zero!) This damp fog had in turn left a hoar frost on all the trees and plants
outside. I must admit it was beautiful to see. I think it’s something we get a
bit more of in the UK, but as the temperatures here are that much colder the
ice crystals that formed were so much bigger that you get in the UK. We took
some lovely photos of this natural phenomenon before heading back home.

Frosty!

Even more frosty

Squirrel!!

Froooosty

Really frosty

Since then we have had the monthly book club meeting and the
last Quiz night before Christmas at the pub, plus last night we had another
night out down the pub with Buffy’s brothers and cousins. All in all a fun, but
busy week since I got back.

The weather has been cold and snowy all week, but I thought
I would at least attempt to see what it would be like to run in. So I donned my
new black thermal tights, my gloves, ear warming headband and my helly Hansen snowboarding
shirt and headed off out when it was just minus 8 degrees Celsius.
Surprisingly, it didn’t feel that cold at all except for my nipples which needed
a good rub with my gloved hands as I ran along. I decided it was perfectly fine
to run at minus 8 and even went out again earlier today when it was minus 12
degrees – this time with the added protection of my neck and face buff – which allows
me to cover my mouth and warm the air a little before I breathe it in. However,
I took it off after a few minutes as it was too warm! This meant I ended the
run with a proper little ice covered beard all around my mouth. I will
definitely be running again soon!

Ready for a run

Just a little ice beard

Cool!!!

Anyway, it’s Thursday the 20th of December and I’m
sure you all know about the prediction of the end of the world this Friday? I
heard a bit about it last week and the fact that some betting shops were taking
bets at 2000/1 that it would happen. I did wonder on the stupidity of the
people who were willing to take that bet though as if the world DID end on 21st
December, they wouldn’t be around to collect their winnings.Is it just me or are some people really
stupid!?

Anyway, just in case the world does end on Friday 21st
December Id to take this opportunity to say hello to everyone reading this I
will see you in heaven/hell or whatever greets us on the other side. I’ll leave
you with one question though......... How big are the queues going to be
getting in to whatever is awaiting us?! Everyone’s going to be there trying to
get in! Bugar.